BJJ

Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Women

Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Women

1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Women

In BJJ, it is possible for smaller athletes to defend themselves against larger opponents by applying leverage and grappling techniques. BJJ practitioners learn to value skill over height, weight, and strength. Its for these reasons that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is considered an ideal sport for self-defense among women. Women who practice martial arts like BJJ tend to see improvements in their physical, mental, and emotional health.


Though BJJ was originally viewed as a male-centric martial art in its early years, many women have taken up BJJ as a professional sport, hobby, or means of self-defense.

1.1. Benefits of BJJ for Women

According to kelly Weinberger and Tracy Burraston,

“Martial arts are more than just sports or avenues to physical fitness; they are paths to better physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being, and studies find that they promote empowerment, self-protection, and self-development.”

The benefits of BJJ for women include:

Managing Aggression

There is some aggression associated with combat sports but jiu-jitsu training can be a good way to learn how to control your emotions in stressful situations such as during fights.


Women who took up BJJ training successfully gained the following benefits relating to their emotional health:

  • Reduced or eliminated aggressive behavior
  • Promoted better emotional maturity
  • Improved social skills
  • Less panic in stressful situations
  • Less mood swings
  • Better sleeping habits

BJJ training channels aggressive behavior in women into something productive, allowing them to better manage their emotions in a more efficient way.

Empowerment, Confidence, and Discipline

Empowerment is the ability to define one's goals and act on them with courage and consistency. BJJ training promotes physical and psychological fortitude in female BJJ athletes. BJJ training promotes the following in women:

  • Self-Defense Skills
  • Better Self-Control
  • Empathy
  • Trust and Faith

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gives female BJJ athletes the opportunity to set their goals for nutrition, physical exercise, and scheduling workouts. In short, jiu-jitsu training instills discipline and motivation in women who practice BJJ.

Social Support

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu promotes a healthier lifestyle for women. Jiu-jitsu for women can have positive social benefits that promote long lasting relationships The social benefits that BJJ training can have on women include the following:

  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Promotes socializing
  • Improves critical thinking
  • Enhanced problem solving skills.
  • Better communication skills
  • Self-Reliance and Self-Esteem

Highly Alert

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training helps women develop better alertness, activeness, and less overactive. Having a greater sense of awareness gives BJJ fighters a competitive edge in sports and helps them be ready in case of risky situations. Having a level head, being highly active, and being aware of any incoming threats are important factors that determine success in BJJ training and competitions.

How Can BJJ Help To Relieve Pain During Menstruation?

The excruciating pain at the start of a menstrual cycle is known as dysmenorrhea, more commonly known as abdominal cramps. The pain is caused by the breakdown of tissues present in the lining of the uterus.


BJJ training can help reduce the pain caused by menstruation by strengthening the body through exercise. This results in decreased levels of estrogen can help minimize the pain.

Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the Best Martial Art for Women

Plenty of martial arts can be argued as being the best in every aspect. Many martial arts like karate and wrestling do offer a variety of physical, emotional, and mental benefits for women. But what makes BJJ the best martial art for women are the following reasons:

  1. BJJ is a grappling art and does not include striking. It involves employing takedowns and ground movements to defend yourself. It helps teach you how to fight on your back and put up guards. Guards are positions in jiu-jitsu that help you gain leverage and employ submissions, locks, and mounts.
  2. Submissions can help female BJJ practitioners subdue opponents twice their size by using proper arm locks or chokeholds. Submissions require using leverage to be applied successfully.
  3. BJJ teaches women to utilize their understanding of body movements rather than try to overpower their opponents.
  4. Female BJJ practitioners learn to employ escape and defense tactics in training sessions. This motivates them to keep fighting no matter the size or strength of the opponent.

What Does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Do to Your Body?

BJJ helps women build up strength, helps shape their body, increases metabolism, and releases brain chemicals that help them stay calm.


How to Deal with Aggressive Sparring Partners in BJJ?

Many sparring partners tend to strike aggressively even during training sessions. Don't panic from the onslaught of non-stop punches and kicks. Instead, relax, focus on your opponent, read his/her movements, and match his/her aggression with the right techniques.

2. Development of Athletic Careers for BJJ Women

Many women in BJJ can pursue athletic careers. It is possible for female BJJ fighters to become coaches and trainers. They can also win different competitions to be able to financially support their families.

2.1. Take Responsibility for Changes in Life

Female BJJ athletes not only adapt to sports culture but also work to improve themselves. Women in BJJ tend to show initiative and actively work towards achieving personal goals. Taking responsibility and showing initiative for their own self-growth can have the following benefits for women in BJJ:

  • Adaptation
  • Improving fighting skills
  • Promotion of women's BJJ

Adaptation

Many women may feel intimidated or unwelcome at first when participating in a combat sport that has primarily seen male practitioners. To make progress in BJJ and become equal in strength to the male BJJ fighters, female BJJ practitioners can try:

  • Actively seek a training partner
  • Be a good training partner

Improving Fighting Skills

Many women suffer from anxiety and fear of failure because they are afraid it will result in ridicule and ill treatment from their peers.


Women in BJJ perceive self-improvement as their personal responsibility. Three strategies that can help them improve their skills include the following:

  • Self-study
  • Watching and reading relevant material
  • Seminars
  • Private classes with experienced instructors
  • Visiting BJJ clubs

Smart training

  • Train without injuring oneself
  • Prevent your ego from interfering with your goals
  • Taking combat sports seriously

Setting goals and testing themselves in competitions

Promotion of Women's BJJ

To promote women's BJJ, you can employ the following strategies:

  • Take part in teaching, refereeing, and administration
  • Develop women-only training sessions and seminars
  • Encouraging more women to compete
  • Identifying the gender gap and making changes

According to research, it has been shown that encouraging leadership roles in BJJ training helps promote female participation in BJJ.

3. Supportive and Non-Authoritarian Environment for Women

The progress a female BJJ practitioner makes is based on their social interactions during training and fights. A supportive and non-authoritarian environment for female BJJ practitioners is based on two aspects:

  • Collaboration
  • Support

  1. Building stable relationships
  2. Discussing and assigning responsibilities

4. What Does Martina King Say Are the Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Martina King is a famous BJJ athlete. When sharing about the start of her BJJ journey,

She stated that,

“The first time I tried (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - BJJ) I thought, 'I don’t like it, this is not my thing.' But the second time I thought, 'I really do like this,' and ever since then I’ve been training all the time.”

King shared her views on promoting martial arts for women, including her excitement for women's participation in BJJ.

“That’s one of the reasons I still compete in competitions like that. I think women seeing other women doing it, helps them to think, ‘OK, this is something I can do.’ I think Fight League Atlantic putting a women’s bracket in there was awesome. It shows women we can do everything the guys are doing.”

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